God is not done through with me yet. As a matter of face he has only just begun. He’s taking all my baggage, weaknesses, and passions and is leading me through a refining fire. It is only after the pressure and heat that I will be polished and refined, ready to be initiated into my role in bringing God’s kingdom to the Earth.
Adventures in Missions (AIM) has challenged alumni Racers to live an epic life. To lay down our lives, and take up what God is doing wherever He leads us. Those who dare to set out on the World Race return broken and anxious to bring God’s love to those in need. The power of the gospel is to be proclaimed to those at home and abroad. We are all in need of revelations of Jesus love and sovereignty. This season of development and exploration at CGA is crucial to walking in the life that I am called to live. AIM endorses a 3 year discipleship process to initiate disciples into their calling, modeled after the time Jesus spent with his disciples.
The World Race served as a year of deconstruction where Racers are wrecked for the ordinary and hearts are broken for those God has put in our paths to love, pray for, and fight for.
Year 2 is designed for rebuilding and constructive efforts to attain skills and encouragement necessary to cast a sustainable vision for one’s calling.
Year 3 is the year to take ownership of one’s calling and gain experience through service.
My current season is characterized by dependence on the Lord in all circumstances. Isaiah 58 describes it best:
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
- I have chosen to pursue the Lord’s heart and purpose for my life.
- I am eager to lose my life in His calling so that others may know Him.
We all play a part in setting the oppressed free, in feeding the hungry, and sharing the love of Christ. We all have people right in front of us who we can set free from a life of hopelessness by proclaiming the saving power of Christ’s sacrifice. In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul exclaims that the blessings of our life and the authority we have to abide in Christ is from God, not our own worthiness. Many of you reading this claim to be men and women of faith but my question is from James 2:
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save
him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is
that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
If you feel God is calling you out to take a step of faith don’t fight it. God is love and we all have the capacity to love others. Take a step today to serve someone, talk to someone you normally wouldn’t. Think of other’s needs as more important than your own. After all, we are made in Christ’s image, he’s inside each and every one of his followers.
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As is a common theme for my this season I am dependent on the Lord for my most basic provision. Your prayerful and financial support provides my food, and a place to lay my head at night. If you have the means to contribute to this refining season of my life, I would greatly appreciate it. You can do so by:
· Send a check by mail to PO BOX 742570 Atlanta, GA 30374-2570. Make payable to Adventures in Missions and put GREGPATTON in the memo line.
· Give online donations through credit: adventures.org/give, go to the “Mission Trip Participant” link and choose the Center for Global Action (CGA) program.
· Give monthly donations through your bank account: adventures.org/dynapay.
· Or, simply give through my World Race blog on the left side of the page that says “Support Me!”
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*** I do not have many of my supporters emails. I would love to know how I can be praying for you and would love to have that contact information.
My email is [email protected]
